


Beneath the Water

by Dark Stars (ivorybyrd)



Series: Beneath the Water [1]
Category: Tenkuu no Escaflowne | The Vision of Escaflowne
Genre: Alternate Pairings, Depressed!Hitomi, Dragons, Emotional Baggage, F/F, F/M, Hitomi brings someone with her, Mental Health Issues, Multi, Non-Human Humanoid Society, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Suicide Attempt, Teacher!Hitomi, Twenty Years Later, love letter to the fandom
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-19
Updated: 2017-06-22
Packaged: 2018-08-15 23:32:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 17,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8077618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ivorybyrd/pseuds/Dark%20Stars
Summary: Things have changed after twenty years, including Hitomi. Re-emerging after a year of silence, the accomplished writer, and widow begins her career as a teacher. When she's approached by a student, she suddenly gets the urge to begin living her life again. But nothing lasts forever, and even when she tries to break the chains of anxiety and depression, she finds herself falling back into old habits.Like returning to Gaea.





	1. Once Upon a Time

**Author's Note:**

  * For [The escaflowne fandom on Tumblr!](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=The+escaflowne+fandom+on+Tumblr%21).



> Hi everyone! 
> 
> Here's another project that I was definitely excited about starting, even though I swore not to start it until Echoes was done, but it was just starting to take shape and I couldn't help myself. 
> 
> I wanna thank Millerna for being a great beta and helping me fix a couple bad habits. And Gurakruor for being a great sounding board for all the crazy ideas this will have in it. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy this story as much as I have had with writing it!

Prologue 

 

_When they tell you nothing lasts forever, take heed. Nothing lasts._

_He held my hand that night, finger tracing over the modest, but appropriate ring. Its shine had dulled over the last couple years._

_We left our seats at the sukiyaki restaurant that night. Tamaki-kun and I had our weekly date out at the same place for the last three years. Our schedules were so hectic that when a spot opened up for both of us, we’d run away from our lives, put on our most comfortable clothes and eat until we wanted to throw up._

  _It was cold, the night brought the start of the first snowfall of the year._

  _I barely registered anything outside the two of us. I didn't take notice to anything else around our little world. Tamaki-kun took my hand so not to let me fall on the slippery ground. Even when I was so overwhelmed with novel drafts and movie scripts, he was there to hold my hand. On nights like these, it was refreshing to be with my beloved best friend._

  _We’d end every night listening to the radio on the car ride home, watching the city wash past us._

  _I’ll never forget the color as it drained from Tamaki’s face, or the way his eyes darted down to his legs when the brakes refused to respond to the the weight of his foot. I’ll never forget the way my body slammed against the door when he turned the wheel, grasping at the assist handle._

  _Tamaki-kun’s overcorrection slid us across the icy rode. We caught the guardrail I suddenly felt weightless as the car rolled onto it’s side. The seatbelt and handle kept my body from being tossed out the window as we rolled.  I had my eyes closed so tightly, my teeth clenched, waiting for that impact._

  _It came, my body slammed against the door. Even with my mouth shut I could taste blood well up. There was a sudden numbing pain that shot up my arm and into my neck. The sound of metal scraping the ground was the last thing I heard when I felt the heavy Tamaki fall hard against my shoulder._

 

_It felt like years had passed when my brain switched on, and my eyes suddenly opened. As I regained partial consciousness, I became aware of the pain that had flooded my extremities. Even with my eyes open, I wasn't able to make out make out anything but an endless stream of red tinted lights above me. I could hear with near-perfect clarity. The loud beeping, the rattling of wheels on tile, the voice speaking frantically just over my head and the soft ring that would sometimes drown out everything else._

  _“Crash victim, twenty-seven years old, female. Approximately fifty-four kilograms. Name: Togua Hitomi.” I heard the information and remembered who I was. I tried to remember why Tamaki took me to the hospital._

  _“Lacerations on the left side of her head and left shoulder. Fractured shoulder blade and various burns from her seatbelt,” the voice continued, and I really didn't want to know more. I remembered being tossed around when we took a right turn too hard. I remembered hitting the door and window. I remembered hearing the grind of metal against the asphalt and shattering glass. I remember seeing the moving lights and wind from passing cars._

  _“Second victim, time of death 22:49, blunt force trauma from the steering wheel. Dead at the scene, presumed dead on impact.”_

  _I didn't remember that part._

  _My breath caught, but my heart’s beat only grew faster. The sounds around me deafened under the sound of my pulse._

  _“We need to get her into surgery, she’s losing too much blood.”_

  _I tried to cry out, but my throat hurt so badly, I wanted to run, but I couldn't move. I wanted to find my husband and make sure that he was fine. I had to find him._

 

_I had to find Tamaki._

 

* * *

 

Chapter 1 

 

 _'Just Breathe.'_  

She told herself that over and over. ‘ _Just keep breathing. Ignore the eyes, keep talking. Keep reading aloud, it’s easy. You practiced this_.’ 

When her watch beeped, she stiffened and wished them all a good holiday. She reminded them of their homework, and end-of-semester projects and their expected submission date.  When they all filtered out, she fell into her desk chair and put her shaking hands over her face. She made it through another class, the last one before the winter holiday. 

Hitomi Togua gathered her things, bagged her trash, and felt her phone buzz in her pocket. She stopped to pull it out. She looked at the screen and frowned at the name there, and hit decline.

She set her phone on the desk and sat in her seat and laid her head in her arms. She didn't want to do another movie; she had no ideas for it. The idea of returning, even sending her heroine was beyond her imagination. What was left for her to do there? Destroy Gaea once in for all? 

Hitomi turned her hand and looked at the wristwatch. She stood from her chair, taking the trash and her things with her as she shut and locked the door behind her.

She had enough time to hit the store and grab dinner before the train arrived at the station. She’d been looking forward to a slice of cake to celebrate. Maybe even enough time to grab a magazine from the DAILY Yamasaki store for her new hairstyle. It had been that time of the year. She’d let it grow out so much that she was starting to look and feel shaggy. 

As Hitomi headed towards the entrance, she spotted a crowd of students gathered in the front courtyard through the glass windows. She sidetracked to the side doors. Walking the extra several hundred feet wasn't terrible; she needed the exercise anyway. 

She kept her pace slow en route to the store from the campus. She kept a hand tight on her bag as she passed larger groups of people. While waiting in an intersection she heard a few murmurs,  then the sound of her name. She quickly grabbed her phone and pretended to respond to a text. When the street signal chimed over her head, she stepped out into the street and charged across. 

Eventually, she found her normal store, and nodded to the familiar employee who welcomed her. She picked up a basket and paged through a sale ad. She calculated in her head what she could make with whatever was on sale. There was plenty of rice still at home, so she passed by it without a second thought. When she got closer to the cold meat section, she flipped through her coupons. She couldn't afford anything expensive. Settling for some discount whiting fillets. She had tempura, and she had coupons for some sweet potatoes. With the broccoli in the crisper at home she had a meal plan. 

The train ride to her local station was cramped. Even in the dead of winter, she found herself overheating in the stifling train car. And the excitement for dinner had died down by the time she reached home. 

She stored the food and ended up with some instant ramen for dinner. 

After dinner, she worked on grading papers, then reviewed her schedule for the next day. Sprawled across her futon, Hitomi gazed at the ceiling. She regretted accepting the invite to do a book signing. Especially on her first day of vacation, it was another thing she wanted to cancel. 

She sat up again and glanced at the small shrine and sighed. The turnout promised to be small, so she didn't have to worry about a crowd of people. “I need to do it,” she told herself. “I’m getting better. I’m going to do it.” 

Hitomi undressed and showered. She was ready to rinse off everything and let the warm water wash away her anxieties and frustrations. “All gone, down the drain.” she repeated the mantra in a low voice.  

She relaxed considerably by the time she sunk down into the bath for a soak. For the second time that day she found herself staring at the ceiling tiles, counting each one.  Realization dawned on her when she hit number 15, and she groaned. “I forgot the cake.” She said. “I really wanted to celebrate the end of my first semester.” 

 

 

Hitomi woke in a sweat. The space heater had nearly baked her in her small apartment. She turned it off and laid back down, remembering the dream she had. It wasn't often she’d dream of Gaea, but when she felt especially stressed it came and went like a bad side effect. Van was happy with a beautiful family. 

She didn't know if it was real, or just a dream. For all she knew twenty years it may have all just been a dream. The only evidence was her grandmother’s missing heirloom. But when things disappeared, they would one day return.  So there was a chance that maybe one day her mom would find it in a box. She wasn't sure anymore. It’d been so long, that half her memories, were too befuddled with age. 

Sleep didn't leave her as she slipped back into a doze for another hour before her alarm finally sounded. The chirping bird ring tone that made her phone buzz by her head.  She hazily grabbed it and hit the dismiss button on the screen. 

Hitomi dressed in a nice shirt and blazer, jeans and flats. She brushed through her hair and tried to pull it behind her ears but it still fell forward. 

“Hello, thank you for your support!” She repeated in a whisper as she headed down the hall to the stairs. “Thank you, I appreciate the kind words,” she added. “Thank you for all the years of support.” She had to add some variety, or her agent would scold her again if she went on auto pilot again. 

She took a train to the college again, walking the short distance between the station and the book store. It was a kind of hole-in-the-wall. It wasn't like the retailers she’d spend hours at years ago. It was a cute and quaint little place on its side of the street. The store next door was closed and had “pardon our construction” signs up. 

Hitomi glanced in through the window of the book store and found an old man waving her down inside. 

The older man came to the door, unlocking it quickly and bowed to her. “Welcome, welcome!” He showed her around, thanked her again for coming, and brought her back to a comfortable chair and table in back. 

She took his tea and she listened to him talk about his love for her work. She only added a bit here and there to the conversation, so desensitized to compliments and commendation. He thanked her again for finally accepting his request to sign books in his store. 

There were a few students who walked in with a purpose. They went quickly to the textbook section, grabbed what they needed and immediately checked out. A few wandered, looking for something to buy to pass time while they waited for the train at the nearby station. None came with the explicit desire to see her. 

It hadn't meant that they didn't acknowledge her, though. A few of those browsers looked at her and recognized her, but couldn't put a name to face until they caught her name on the display. HITOMI TOGUA was displayed in bright, bold characters, next to a small stack of books. After they realized who she was, they’d greet her awkwardly, and offer half-hearted compliments as they passed through. No one knew she was going to be there, so there were no books to be signed. 

“Togua-Sensei?” 

Hitomi had been glancing over a book she bought from the owner on impulse. She spaced out over the back cover for most of thirty minutes. She jumped hearing the young, and excited voice of a young man standing above her. It took her a moment to recognize him from the messy texture of his hair to remember his name. “Haruno-san!” She smiled.

“Sensei, I just wanted to thank you for a good first semester!” he said quickly. Chiyaki Haruno was a little taller than her, and his hair fell in waves over a pair of thick rimmed blue glasses. “I heard you were signing today, and I had to come by.” 

She smiled at his ernest compliment. “Thank you for attending.” She glanced away. 

“Sensei, I…” When she looked up he had stiffened up again. “I wanted to say that I’m a big fan of your work!” 

She backed up a little in her seat. “Oh thank you very much.” She said and bowed to him over the table. “I’m very happy you enjoy it.” 

“I have the three books, and the movie on my phone.” He whispered and looked around. “If you had time, I… I had a couple questions. If it’s alright?” 

He was flushed and just as nervous-looking as she had been earlier, she noticed. She glanced behind him, and saw no one waiting for her autograph. She spoke softly. “I have some time.” 

His face brightened and he scrambled to pull out the first book. “Thank you! You’re such an inspiration. I really enjoyed your characters,” he blurted, unaware of the slight discomfort in her face. “I wont take up too much time, but I just wanted to know. Why do you think Aina left instead of stay with Van on Gaea?” he fumbled. “I mean, you do say that she had a home to go to and a life she left, but why not ever go back?” 

She had heard this question a thousand times. Even she asked herself on occasion. “She, nor they were mature enough to make a decision of forever, and eventually she lost her will to practice the powers she had.” It was true. She hadn't touched a tarot deck the past twenty years.

He didn't seem too convinced, but nodded. “Why didn't you write much about the antagonists or even of the other countries? There’s so much information left out.”

Another commonly asked question. “At the time I was so focused on the protagonist and her struggles, everything was an afterthought.” To be honest she never put too much thought to Zaibach, the people of the other countries or even Allen’s sister who had been the biggest antagonist to her and Van. Her time on Gaea had been hectic. She didn't have a chance to sightsee or study the cultures. 

He nodded. “I’ve never really read a story where I felt for the bad guys. I had a lot of empathy for Folken, and even Dilandau!” He had the book pulled out, his hands tight on its worn cover. “It’s hard not to empathize with Issac, I mean Dornkirk.” 

She smiled; it was such an easy, fragmented mask that she wore in front of fans. “I’m happy.” 

“I had a last question though.” He started. “I know those questions were probably really simple and overdone, I... it’s hard to trust the internet.” 

She shook her head. “It's no problem.”

“Where do you think the dead go?” he asked. “Like on Gaea, since their depiction of purgatory was that path that Aina followed. What do you think happened to them?” 

Haruno's question had been surprisingly new. That moment in the story, even in her memory had been so miniscule. Running frantically after Van, she had slipped through the crowd of newly dead soldiers from every part of Gaea. She saw their tired, empty faces as she ran past them. It would seldom creep into her mind, only to be pushed away. “I’m not sure, I tried not to dwell too much on death in the books. I wanted to give my readers a sense of hope by not putting a lot of detail in it. I wanted to avoid crossing any religious lines so I kept it vague.” That was the best she could do, and she watched his face, trying to gauge his reaction. 

His face matched hers, his expression unconvinced. He finally smiled. “Would it be ok if I asked for an autograph?” 

She nodded her head. “It was very nice of you to bring me questions, it's been a while since I had a fan come to me with so many good ones,” She confessed as she took the book from him and pulled out a pen. She looked at the front cover,  emblazoned with a picturesque young woman with her old haircut, a young prince with black as night hair, and a knight with long tresses. She smiled. 

“You look at peace with this book.” 

“It’s well worn,” she said. “It's my favorite thing to see, I love seeing my books so well-loved.” She flipped through his copy, not seeing the sudden flush on his cheeks. She found the notes in the margins of some pages. He had notes about characters, some lines had been highlighted. She didn't read too intimately into some of his other notes, knowing it was probably personal. “You really do love it,” she said and looked up. 

His face was dark red. “You... you're a very big inspiration to me, I intend to publish my own works, but they aren’t as good as yours.” He kept his arms at his side, tense as a rock. “I do small projects here and there though.” 

“Fanfiction?” Hitomi was direct with her assumption, his demeanor was the same as others she had met. 

The color seemed to darken more across his face. “Oh! No! I mean… maybe? Some fan comics… but that’s all,” he said, his words trickling out in a mess. “I take manga writing classes, and doujinshi gives me a lot of practice.” 

Hitomi giggled. “That’s alright. I’ve read some good ones where Aina goes back, and some where she never left. There are some with her falling in love with Allen instead.” She smiled and had to laugh. “It's always endearing to see something new,” it was the truth; she had so many people who rooted for her over the years. It gave her some perspective.

Haruno’s red face had faded back to pale. “Would you like to get some coffee?” he asked. “I would like to pick your mind, from one author to another.” 

“I would like that,” she said before she realized it, and she tried to think of an excuse as she smiled at him. Internally screaming at herself for possibly leading him on, or making the mistake that would bring down the world around her. 

“Oh!” He was beaming. He lowered his voice. “Thank you, we can go somewhere that’s not near, in case you’re worried about fraternizing with a student. I mean, I don't want to get you into trouble or anything.” His big eyes, once filled with happiness, suddenly became worried.

She quickly shook her head and waved her hand. "It shouldn't be a problem, but I think it might be good to do that to be safe,” she said. “I hope that your girlfriend would not be mad?” she had to ask. 

He seemed a bit shocked. “No, sorry. I don't have one, I wasn't very popular in school.” 

She gave him a smile. “I’m sure someone is interested in you,” she encouraged. 

“Tomorrow afternoon then?” he asked. “Is that ok?”

“Yes.” Again she answered, compelled to connect with someone before the rest of her mind caught up with her situation. 

 

They parted, and the rest of her day felt like a blur, though that confidence and pride she felt after only remained until later that night. She had only a few more people who showed up, thanks to the sign outside, and she greeted them warmer than she had planned.

Even as she headed home, she thought of all the questions that he’d ask and how she'd answer. Maybe she’d become re-inspired for a sequel. She thought of looking him up online. Maybe they could even collaborate and he could illustrate the next book cover. The excitement lasted her until she entered the next train.

A couple three seats down from her had teased one another, the girl giggling as her boyfriend kept pulling her closer and planted tiny kisses on her cheek and shoulder. 

Hitomi looked away from them, a searing envy burned in her heart. Her mind went to Haruno, and she quickly shook her head. He was born around the time she was on Gaea. He was much too young for her. The more she dwelled on her newfound fan, the more her anxiety grew. What if he was another one of those fans?

Hitomi looked up and down the train, finding him nowhere. She arched her neck some to look into the train behind them as it curved left and right. She didn't see anyone with his features or clothes similar to his own.

The trip home from the station was etched with anxiety. She held her purse close to her body, and kept her face forward as she rushed to her apartment. 

She checked each room the moment she arrived home. Making quick work of her small one bedroom apartment. She didn't want to expend the effort to make a big dinner a third night in a row, so she slipped in a microwave rice bowl with some leftover beef stew from two nights before. She carved a mandarin and left it at the altar just in front of a photo that hadn't been moved in over a year. 

Hitomi showered and bathed, and then pulled on the old, off-white shirt. It was so big that it hung past her hips and the sleeves dangled over her elbows, but it brought her comfort.

Hitomi laid in bed, staring at the ceiling above her as thoughts rushed around her brain. Her upstairs neighbors were as quiet as usual, so there was no distracting her anxious brain. She watched the light of the moon move over her ceiling and wall; and watched the dark sky lighten as dawn approached. Exhausted, she slipped out of bed and ate. Her head ached from her tired eyes and the anxiety induced insomnia 

She had his number. It was so easy to text: “I wont make it, something came up” or “Can we reschedule?”. She was interested, after all, but the overwhelming feeling of dread was more powerful. 

Hitomi stared at the new chat screen for his number, she hadn't gotten as far as adding him as a contact. She typed and erased a few times before her phone buzzed and a new message displayed on her screen:

_“Sensei, thank you for talking with me, I look forward to our coffee this afternoon. Would you like to meet at Cafe Castle around 1600?” it said._

She erased and sent a simple “Yes.” 

Hitomi never ended up falling asleep, the growing anticipation for her coffee with this new friend had driven out the fatigue she may have felt. She wanted nothing more than to cancel, but she knew her fear was unrealistic. She knew deep down she had to start living again. That’s why she started working again. He seemed genuinely kind and she had to give him the benefit of the doubt. 

“If you don't trust people, then they don't trust you,” she said, she spoke the words she once told Folken were now replaying in her mind.  “If I am on my guard, he’ll know, and I don't want him to think ill of me,” she said aloud, trying to motivate herself.

She washed up, taking the insomnia off her face. She dressed modestly in a long dress, dark leggings, cardigan and peacoat.

Haruno’s face had just been like Tamaki’s. Bright and enthusiastic upon seeing her, and having read of her story from Gaea. Maybe that’s why she agreed to it? She saw his delight and felt that same charge of energy and enthusiasm. 

She got on the train after looking up the cafe that was in Shinjuku, just outside Akihabara. Which she felt was kind of a poor choice, the crowds alone would be more than what she could handle. There was even the chance someone would recognize and bring attention to her.  

Up until the day before, she’d gone nearly a year without signing a single autograph or having some random stranger approach her in public. She’d ignored or declined the several offers to sign books, or attend Q&A panels at over-crowded conventions. 

She knew why, and now she tried to grow from it.  

 

She watched from the sidewalk as he sat inside, again reading through the book with pen and highlighter at the side. Cafe Castle was a small, mostly empty cafe with free wifi and public computers. She realized quickly he had her meet him at a cyber cafe, where she felt pretty out of place given her chosen outfit. 

His face lit up when she crossed the threshold and nodded to the barista in the front. She waved to him and sat across from him. “Thank you for inviting me.” 

“I’m sorry. It's probably not what you anticipated, but I’m glad you came,” he said quickly. “Would you like something to drink? It’s my thanks for coming to see me.” 

She declined at first, but at his second request she smiled. “Iced coffee, please, no milk.” 

He nodded quickly and rushing to the barista to get her a drink. 

When he sat down again he was all smiles. “How was your night?” He asked. 

She stared, a bit dazed at the question. “It was good thank you.” She wondered if he could see that her eyes were a bit puffy from not sleeping, or that her hair wasn't fully styled. 

“I was so excited, I could barely rest, but I’m glad I finally got the courage to say hi,” he gushed. “I heard there were just talks about a sequel.” 

She smiled and opened her mouth to speak when a tall glass of iced black coffee was placed in front of her. She waited until the barista stepped away before answering. “I haven't really decided on a sequel or even if there will be more written about Aina in the future,” she explained. “I really don't have anything to go on.” 

He nodded, and took a sip of his green tea over ice. “I read this one story, someone wrote, that Aina returns to Gaea and a thousand years have passed, and no one there knows who she is,” he explained. “They never finished it, but what they wrote was good.” 

Hitomi smiled. She had not read that one herself yet. 

“I hope that if you do, it will be based around the movie. I don't know why people complained.” He stopped and looked at her. 

“I know. The complaints were mostly that it wasn't a remake of the series, but an entirely new adaptation,” she explained. “But I had limited amount of time, and really at that part of my life, I had a lot going on.” 

Haruno didn't look away, and remained silent. 

She realized he knew where they had been treading. Bringing up her late husband was always a sensitive topic for her. She tried to change the subject. “What did you like about the movie?” she asked. 

“I liked the raw emotion. There was a different kind of depth there that wasn't in the books,” he said softly and stirred his drink with the straw, glancing away from her. “It wasn’t something I expected, but it felt real.” 

She smiled. 

“You can tell it was kind of cathartic,” he said suddenly, “I’m glad that it came out.” 

She laid her hands over the table and smiled. “I’m glad you enjoyed it.” 

“It really helped me in a difficult time of my life, so I have to thank you for that.” He finally looked up at her and took a deep breath. “I always wished I could go there, I love the technology of Japan and how far we’ve gotten in our society, but I feel like Gaea would be amazing.” 

She knew he was right; the Earth couldn't compare to the eccentric beauty of Gaea. 

Suddenly, and without hesitation, his hand laid on hers 

Everything in her body recoiled as she slipped her hand away. “I’m sorry, there’s something I need to do today. I just remembered,” she said suddenly and stood. “Some legal stuff for the rights of the movie. I’m sure you could imagine,” she lied, the words slipped off her tongue so easily now. Fear was a good motivator. 

The color drained from his face, and he quickly snatched his hand back and realized what he’d done. “Sensei I... yes. I understand.” His eyes averted from hers and he stood up with her to walk her out. 

She bowed a little to him, “Thank you for the kind words Haruno-san, please if you have any other questions, email them to me. Thank you for the time here today.” She didn't give him a chance to say anything before turning and charging away. 

 

As soon as Hitomi arrived home, she locked her door, then sobbed. Her face had been wet since she left the cafe, but she held back the need to unleash the tidal wave of emotion until she was safe inside her home.  This is why she stopped signing books, why she stopped thinking of plot and writing for so long. She didn't want to do this alone. 

Hitomi undressed, throwing her outfit to the ground, and grabbed the same old, oversized off white shirt she wore the night before. She laid in bed for three hours crying off and on, feeling like she’d made a fool of herself for being so rude. She tried to rationalize her reaction. He came onto her;  he was out of line for touching her hand. 

Her mind was a back-and-forth battle of reason versus emotion.  She dwelled on what that touch meant, and whether or not it was wise to even try to socialize with someone so intimately. 

She only calmed down when she finally drifted off to sleep. She opened her eyes twelve hours later. It was late morning and she felt considerably better about the situation. She knew she had been rude to leave so abruptly, and she worried about the impression she left on him. 

Hitomi only left the house to find something for dinner. She played with the idea of spoiling herself with that good dinner with the fish and fried potatoes, but ended up getting take out and a slice of cake. 

The doors opened and closed to the bakery as she was paying. She glanced to the side as instinct and saw the lovely brown-red hair of an old friend. Yukari suddenly just a few feet away from her. 

Yukari hadn’t changed much, the length of her hair had been the only thing. She was one of those beautiful career women who could wake up with curls in their hair and had everything fall into place. In a world where three inch heels came standard and her clothes always fit. This woman had been her best friend once upon a time, but they hadn't spoken in person in nearly fifteen years. The only time being an instant message that promised meeting up but lead nowhere. Hitomi knew that Yukari frequented  this part of Tokyo, but it was the first time she'd run into her at this bakery. It really seemed like fate wanted to see her squirm.

Hitomi on the other hand, wouldn't give in. She lowered her head and quickly left the shop with her strawberry angel cake hanging from two fingers. She stopped at the edge of the store window and knew she had to at least say hi. She watched Yukari through the shop window. She was beautiful as ever. The deep smile lines were the only indicator of a well-lived life. Hitomi’s heart raced as Yukari came towards the doors she just left through. Yukari now had a phone at her ear.

Hitomi’s body moved away before her brain even registered that she was escaping in a panic. ‘ _It's ok, she probably wouldn't have recognized me, and I don't want to bother her. She’s on the phone anyways_ ,’ she reasoned. ‘ _We’d end up making small talk with empty promises of meeting up later. You'll only make yourself feel worse if you talked to her_.’ 

She reeled the entire way home, remembering soft lines in Yukari’s face, the stunning ring on her finger and the easy laughter that came from her as she walked out of the bakery.  Hitomi was happy that Yukari was happy, so it was ok that she didn't interrupt it. 

 

Hitomi skipped dinner. She put the takeout in the fridge and sat down with the slice of cake. Its sweetness brought tears to her eyes. She thought back to the last real conversation her and Yukari shared. There was yelling, and their argument had ended on a bad note. The fight was over something small and pathetic, shortly after Tamaki’s passing. Yukari’s concern, it seemed, had reached a limit. 

She started the bath. After washing off she soaked away her worry. Tears came to her eyes as she thought of yet another embarrassing display of panic. She had to find a way to apologize sincerely to Haruno. She may have been old fashioned, but she couldn't do it over text. She had to run into Yukari again, and show genuine interest in her. 

Hitomi's fingers reached up and touched the scar over her clavicle, and the memories broke down her resolve.  

 

The previous night’s thoughts weighed heavily on Hitomi's conscience when she awoke the next morning. She knew she had to stop waiting for the confidence to come back to her again. She forgot how she functioned all those years ago. It was easy to just run and forget everything. Now, it was just too dangerous to go running by herself. It was frightening to be alone, and just as frightening to be in a crowd. 

Even with the takeout waiting in her fridge, she still continued her daily ritual of heading to her favorite store for dinner. As she waited for her train, she held the hem of her favorite shirt. It still brought her comfort after so many years. Now it was freshly-laundered, tucked in the front with a jacket to keep her warm. Hitomi pushed away the remaining insecurity at looking so casual. She rummaged through her purse to avoid looking at someone who glanced in her direction. Hitomi found her phone and pretended to check it, then stuffed it back in her purse. 

She stood amongst the crowd of people who all waited for the train as the sun began to set over the town. She studied their faces. Many didn't give her a second look, one of the perks about changing her look and hiding from the public eye for so long. She surveyed everyone, trying to read their expressions. She wondered if they felt the same as she had 

Her eyes landed on her student, Haruno, who had been standing at the yellow-orange line, waiting for the train to come. Headphones pushed into his ears as he stared at the ground  beneath his feet. He had a filled backpack strapped to his back, with the waist strap snapped securely around his stomach.

Hitomi took a deep breath and slipped through the crowd towards him.  She decided this was as good of a time than any to apologize. This way if he took it badly, she could return home and revel in her embarrassment. She wanted it to be done and over with.

The sound signaling the arrival of their train chimed overhead, and Haruno started to step towards the edge of the cement floor to meet the train as it rolled forward. 

Hitomi felt suddenly nauseous as he approached the tracks. 

His face was hidden under his curly locks. She heard some people raising their voices, watching as the young man approached the edge of the platform, his toes over the edge.

Hitomi’s heart slammed against her chest as she shoved her way through the crowd. “Haruno-kun!” she yelled out. 

He jumped. 

She jumped out after him, seizing him by the shoulders and pulled him to her chest. She knew this was going to be the end. If only she’d wished harder, maybe she could see everyone again. 

 

When Hitomi opened her eyes, she didn't see the familiar white ceiling. There was no sound except for the tiny cry of a bug or animal. She felt nothing but wind as it fell across her face. 

She sat up immediately and looked out at the indigo sky, devoid of any light pollution. Stars litup the dark sky. She reeled and looked around, “Haruno-kun!?” She cried out, as she frantically looked for any sign of him. 

His lump of a body laid quietly in the grass not far from where she had awoken. His bag was still strapped to his back. His glasses had fallen from his face and laid on the ground next to him.  

She warily reached him, suddenly afraid of touching another dead body. She touched his shoulder and immediately calmed when she felt him react to her touch. He was still warm, and now fully awake. 

“What? Sensei!” His eyes were wide, sitting up he found her crouched form next to him. “What happened?” He started to look around. “This isn't the station.” he trailed off.  

Hitomi’s tears began to fall. “What were you doing?!” she snapped. “Did you fall or did you get pushed?” She grabbed his shoulders. “Why were you so close to the edge?!” 

He stared at her for a moment before looking away. “I don't know… I cant remember,” he said.

Hitomi sighed and pulled him into a warm and gentle hug. “I’m just happy you’re ok.” She knew better, but didn't press. 

“But I think we’re dead,” he said. 

“We’re not dead.” Hitomi let him go and stared at the ground. She had avoided searching for it when she looked up at the sky before. “Look to the sky and tell me what you see.”

She watched him lift his head. His eyes widened as he saw the countless bright constellations. But just as quickly as that wonder came, the color drained from his face as he saw the earth and moon in the sky.  “Where are we, Sensei?” 

“Gaea.”

 


	2. On the Run

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hitomi and Haruno are now on Gaea. The fanboy and his idol have to find out where they are first.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the super long hiatus! Thank you for your patience!  
> Previously: Hitomi's begun her life as teacher again, but one trip up is ready to reset her back to a life of anxiety.

Yukari stepped off the train and checked her watch again. She pushed back some hair from her face and stroked a long, brown auburn lock. She followed the directions she’d written down verbatim from Hitomi’s agent. It took a lot of convincing, including sending a couple pictures of her and Hitomi that she kept on her phone. 

She found the apartment building, and headed up the single flight of stairs. The complex was small, but well kept. 

A door opened under her and she stopped to look over the railing. 

An older woman looked up and saw Yukari and smiled. “Hello!” 

“Good afternoon.” Yukari bowed. “Do you know if Hitomi Touga is home?” she asked. 

“Oh!” the old woman exclaimed and hurried over to the foot of the stairs. “I haven’t seen her in a couple days. She’s been awful busy lately.” She put a hand over her cheek and cupped her elbow to think. “I haven’t seen her in about two days now. She came home one afternoon and didn't leave until Saturday, but I didn't see her come back. I’m usually in bed by nightfall, and you know how winter likes to get darker earlier every year.” 

Yukari gave her a warm smile and nodded. “I’ve been trying to call her, do you mind terribly if I go in? I’m a friend from school and was wanting to drop her off a present.” Yukari held up a bagged box. “It’s the anniversary of her first book, if she’s out I just want to leave it there.”  She tried not to sound terribly shady. Truth be told she was late on this anniversary, and was only reminded when she caught sight of Hitomi the few days before. 

“Oh yes!” The old woman was very trusting. She headed back inside her apartment and hurried out with a large ring of keys, nearly tripping on the bottom stair as she flipped through the color coded keys.

Yukari shimmied to the side and let the woman pass with her keys. She followed quietly, happy that she didn't have search for Hitomi’s apartment door, or have to leave the cake outside to spoil. 

The old woman opened the door and bowed to Yukari. “Please lock up when you’re done. She likes her privacy.” 

“I will, thank you so very much.” Yukari bowed in return and watched the woman leave. She stepped past the threshold. “I’m coming in,” she announced and slipped off her heels. 

Hitomi’s home was plain, much different than how it was back in the day. Yukari remembered the idol poster taped to the wall over her bed. Gone were the picture frames with them and Amano. Now, Hitomi just had a small couch, a coffee table, tv, and book shelf with a few awards and books. No portraits, no kitschy framed art, just the basics. Yukari thought to scold her for not adding more color to her life, but it seemed invasive. She went to the kitchen first to put the cake in the fridge. The appliance was bare save for some takeout boxes and the basics of milk and some eggs. She shut the fridge, put her purse on the counter and rifled through it. With the first pen she found and her trusty teddy bear memo pad, she started to scribble out a message. 

“Hitomi, I’m sorry I missed you while you were out.

Please give me a call soon. Cake is in the fridge.” 

She ended it with a heart and left it on the counter, but returned to add her phone number to the bottom. Hitomi now had no reason not to call her with the number there, plain as day. 

She passed by the hall and saw the altar, the familiar portrait of Tamaki smiling. With a sad smile, she dropped her purse to the floor, knelt in front of his altar, and bowed her head to pray. 

* * *

 

“What in the hell!?” Haruno had stood up and dropped his backpack on the ground. The young man took a moment to take in his surroundings. He broke out into a run, turning in circles in the field as he began to laugh, then hoot in excitement. “This… you mean?”, he said and covered his mouth and bounced on his toes.

Hitomi watched and for a moment, she didn't have the impending feeling of despair. A sense of relief had fallen over her seeing Haruno light up with understanding.  “This is Gaea, it's been twenty years…” she said as she stood up and looked to the sky. 

“You mean, the story…” He stared at her. “It's all about you?” He rushed up to her, trying to hide his excitement. His eyes had grown bigger than the frames of his glasses as he waited for her affirmation.

She nodded, finding it a little hard not to smile sheepishly

“How much of it's true?” he asked, his voice panicked. 

“About ninety percent, the rest was plot and embellishment.” She looked up at the earth. Finally the weight was starting to wear down on her. “Why did it bring me back now?” she asked. “And why did it have to drag you here with me?” 

Haruno’s face finally softened. “No! This is _amazing_ , this place is _amazing_.” he said. He started to reach for her hands but stopped. He took a deep breath, “The air is amazing, the sky… I’ve never seen so many stars in my life!” he said. 

“I don’t want to be here,” she said suddenly, breaking his sense of wonder. “I didn't want to come back — not now, not ever!” She whined. “I don't _belong_ here.” 

Haruno sighed and nodded. “I’m sorry. I know you went through so much, but that’s in the past right?” he asked. “Don’t you want to see your old friends?”

She turned her face away, hiding her eyes behind her bangs. “I do, but I don't think they’ll want me to show my face here. I nearly caused the end of the world.” 

“You also saved it!” he reminded her. “I’ve read the stories forward and back. I’ve seen the movie! What you did was nothing short of amazing, Sensei!” 

She looked at him with humored skepticism. “Oh, it’s not that great. What could one young girl do?” 

“You died like twice! Right?” he asked. “What was that like?”  He disregarded her modesty.

She patted him on the head, offering a smile that hid her reluctance to answer. “Don’t think on it, I barely remember,” she lied. “We need to figure out where we are at least, and…” she stopped, knowing that her best chance to get home was Fanelia, to Van. Her heart ached. Could she actually see him again? At this point he had to have a family, or have moved on. He could be dead. The what ifs made that reluctance to find out swell in size. Did she want to know what happened? Did she want to chance disrupting his happiness?

“Sensei?” she heard, and she pushed the fear aside.

“Yes?” That’s right, she wasn’t totally alone this time.

“And what?” Haruno asked. 

“We need to head to Fanelia, I guess. I gave Van the pendant, and I think it's tied to us getting back to earth.” She didn’t know what power it had, or if it was tied to their current predicament, but it was the only connection that came to mind. She glanced at him. Haruno was practically vibrating with excitement. His innocent, yet naive understanding was kind of endearing.

She couldn't help but smile at him.

 

Haruno’s smile had died the further they walked. The cold had set in and no amount of walking warmed them up. The icy fields of whatever country they had been dropped in crunched under foot and Hitomi tried to identify anything that could be familiar. Twenty years could mean a lot of changes, especially if time had been different for Gaea. 

“Any ideas?” he’d asked this a couple of times, spaced over the last hours of walking

“I didn't get to explore Gaea,” she reiterated again. “This place is unfamiliar. I was rushed around in a flying ship most of the time, and spent the other half on a flying mechanical dragon.” 

Haruno nodded, a smile came to his face at the mention of Escaflowne. “You would think with twenty years they’d develop public transport or something.” 

“It wouldn't surprise me, but I think we’re far from any village or town.” Hitomi stopped, pulled out her water bottle, and finished it off. She sat down on a low rock and pulled out her phone. This was another annoyance. Her battery was half dead, and she didn't want to use her teddy bear power bank just yet. She turned off the wifi, the bluetooth, everything to conserve what battery she had. They’d need a flashlight in some areas where the moons hadn't lit up the world around them. 

He crouched next to her. “Any signal?” he asked. 

Hitomi shook her head, and quickly pocketed her phone to hide the image of her and Tamaki on the lock screen. She feigned the smile again, looking up at him. “I feel like we’re north, maybe near Asturia?”

Her student was excited again, and she could see the thoughts racing through his head. “Let me pull out my phone.” he said. He grabbed his phone and opened the compass app. They both watched in anticipation as it booted, then began to spin frantically. An error message popped up before the app closed itself. “Well, GPS is useless,” he said. 

“Come on,” she said and stood up. “I think I see some light pollution this way.” She pointed towards the south, “Eventually if we keep going one way we’ll run into something, right?” 

With a nod, Haruno stood up, jumped a few times and stretched. “Let’s go.”

“If you’re feeling tired, we can always find a spot to camp, there shouldn't be too many predators — I’ve barely seen any animals at all.” Hitomi could feel the fatigue clutching at her feet and ankles. It’d been years since she had gotten this much walking done in a day. She’d given up running after high school. She could barely remember why, but it took a toll on her none the less. In the last twenty years, her body had grown weary, and finally beginning to notice it.

“I’m good for now, I’m looking forward to finding a village soon. If I treat this like an RPG, it’s not too scary.” He started to march towards the light pollution.

She chuckled and shook her head. “Do take it seriously. I don't want you getting hurt.” 

“I’m with you Touga-Sensei, what could possibly go wrong?” 

 

It only took them another twenty minutes of walking before they discovered the small down nestled in a valley. It was still lit up by lanterns, and they could see a few people wandering the streets. Hitomi was hesitant, but Haruno strolled past her, leading the way into town. She brushed through her hair and tried to act inconspicuous. 

The two of them garnered a lot of strange looks and whispers, Hitomi knew their clothes made them stick out. Haruno’s bright blue bag with the clinking acrylic charms on it was a dead giveaway to their not belonging there. 

This caught the attention of some very attentive guards. 

Hitomi had grabbed Haruno by the blue backpack, and tried to pull him away to leave, but before they could reach the exit, they were stopped by the guards that had began to follow them.

They were questioned on the spot, in a foreign tongue Hitomi hadn’t heard before. The more they remained quiet, the louder the soldier’s voices grew in volume and frustration. Hitomi clutched Haruno’s arm to keep him close. They were lead to a building with an unfamiliar flag hung over the door. In the main entrance there was a table with other guards who stood and saluted. Rods and whips had decorated the walls as they were taken to another area with cells. A portrait of an unfamiliar man they guessed to be the country’s leader adorned the wall on the opposite side. Hitomi felt her bag ripped from her hands; and she let it go, it wasn’t worth her life. They took Haruno’s bag, which he fought to keep until Hitomi urged him to give in.

Hitomi’s bag was investigated by one of the soldiers, who found the snap on her purse entertaining. He opened it and let the sides snap together a few times before he finally pulled out the contents. Her phone was examined with confusion, he turned it over to find the bit of metal sticking out and pressed it. The screen lit up and the guard flinched from the brightness and dropped it to the table. He apprehensively pushed it away and the screen dimmed again. Her wallet was opened and then left on the table. Her apartment keys were compared to theirs, then dropped to the side.  He pulled out a sanitary pad and showed it to the guard next to him, both confused by the floral design. They looked impressed. Finally her empty water bottle was shaken, crinkled up and then set aside. There was nothing else safe for some lint and maybe a loose candy crumb.

Haruno’s bag took the longest, and he avoided Hitomi’s look when they pulled out a few electronics, including a solar charger, a power box, a phone printer, a wireless speaker, and a laptop. The non-electronics were a dark red sweatshirt and a bag of snacks. Everything was left as the guards set them up in a cell across the hall. 

Hitomi had glanced at him, “Spend a lot of time at cyber cafes?” If she didn’t know any better she was sure he had been prepared to come to Gaea.

One guard snapped at her, she was sure the word meant “Quiet!”. 

When they were finally taken to a cell, their things were left on the table under the portrait. Haruno had kept his eyes on the guards as they left, then turned his attention to the cell doors. 

“I’m so sorry,” Hitomi said. “I cant help but feel this is my fault.” She watched him walk back and forth as he eyed the lock from different angles, “What are you doing?” 

“Well, we treat this like an RPG,” he said and pointed upwards. “Also, I do a lot of pointless online research and these look like those old-style western jail cells.” He grunted as he grabbed the bars at his knees and lifted them.

Hitomi stared and shook her head, “What’s supposed to happen?” 

His face flushed with exertion, “Hey, come here!”

She stood and grabbed the bars next to him. “What do I do?” 

“Lift and keep it steady,” He said and again lifted, — this time with Hitomi’s added stability they were able to lift the cell door enough to move the lock over the latch without a key. They set it down, and slowly slid it to the side.  

When no guards came, they slipped out.

Haruno quickly refilled his bag like it was a skill. He pulled it over his shoulders and snapped the front together. 

Hitomi scooped her things back into her tote bag and grabbed Haruno’s arm. She wished she had better prepared before leaving the house, but had to remember she was only out to get groceries.

“Sensei,” Haruno crouched down and gestured for her to do the same.  He kept close to the wall and skirted down the hall with her behind him. “I think this is a way out.” He pointed the opposite way they had been brought in.

She watched Haruno touch each of the clay walls as they moved down the halls. “What are you doing?” 

“It’s cold outside, and these walls don’t have insulation, right?” he asked. “Cold walls are perimeter walls, and warm ones are interior walls. We follow the outer wall, we’ll find a window or door leading outside.” 

“How do you know all this?” she asked. 

He stopped for only a second to look back at her and smiled. “Video games.” 

Hitomi shook her head. She couldn’t take his answer seriously. He had to have went to military school or he spent way too much time online. She didn't question it. His keen insight had gotten them out of the cell, so she wasn’t about to question his logic.

Haruno carefully led them pass two guards who were too preoccupied by their wine to notice the pair escaping. Just like he had said, they finally found a door that led them outside the building. He cushioned the door with his hand to keep it from closing too hard, and guided the knob back to its resting position. 

Once they left the alley, they hit the ground running. Haruno lead the way back to the main street. The time they had been in confinement, had allowed the town time to relax about their unexpected visitors. The town lanterns had been extinguished, allowing them to travel under the cover of shadow towards the forest once again. 

The edge of town was a welcoming sight.

“We need to find a place to hide,” Haruno slowed down, his head turning left and right. 

“I think we should just keep running,” she argued, pulling him along after he slowed some. “If we run, we get more distance, and then we can hide.” 

 He had slowed down again. “No, I _definitely_ think we should hide.”

“What?” she finally stopped and turned back to him, “Why?” 

“You don’t feel the ground shaking, do you?” he asked. His shoulders dropped. 

She hadn’t until he said something. But it was the sound that hit her ears first. Through the trees she could see the figures of three unfamiliar guymelefs coming from the low valley village. She could barely make out their features, except a bright green light coming from the center. She couldn’t mistake the size and the sound of grinding metal footsteps. “Oh, no.” 

The green light fell over them, and nearly passed them but stopped and refocused on them. In the low light of the night, the green light had been blinding.

“We need to go!” Hitomi’s arm shielded her eyes and she grabbed Haruno’s with her free hand. She’d rather run blind than allow themselves to get caught and possibly killed. 

“Is that a guymelef!?” he asked, looking back at their pursuers. “They really _are_ fast!” 

She grew annoyed with his enthusiasm. “You read the story. They only get faster!” Hitomi yelled back. The sun spots that clouded her vision finally began to disappear. The more the forest cleared up, the faster she went, despite Haruno’s inability to keep up.

They ran hard, hearing voices of the village guard behind them. Hitomi felt her inner athlete come out. She was bounding over tree roots with Haruno barely able to keep up. His safety was the only thing on her mind. She would carry him to safety if she needed to.

Haruno stumbled, his hand jerking out of hers as he slipped to the ground.

Hitomi stopped and tried to help him up. “Sorry, we have to go. You have to get up,” she urged on the verge of tears. 

“I’m sorry,” he panted out, his breath coming in gasps. “My… lungs…” He held his chest and tried to slow his breathing. 

She cursed and tried to find a place to hide. The sound of trees breaking sent a shock down her spine. She felt tears run down her face that she quickly wiped away. “Please, someone.” 

“Sen… sei?” Haruno whimpered.

In her mind she was screaming for Van, Allen, _anyone_ at that point. “Someone help us!” she screamed aloud as the forest exploded over them. The guymelefs ripped through the trees and sent dirt and rock flying all around them. 

They were surrounded. Guards shouted at them, and to each other as the foreign guymelefs aimed their weapons towards them, the blinding green light shining over them once more. Two were extinguished as the guards approached them

Hitomi wrapped her body over Haruno’s crouched form, her head whipping around to the soldiers that surrounded them, swords raised and ready to capture, or kill them.

A long, shrill sound hit her right ear, and another wave of panic shot through Hitomi. She knew the sound — it was the scream of metal and steam. “Haruno, we have to go now!” She looked around and screamed at the glimmer of green light refracted off thin air. 

The soldiers stopped, either at the sound of her scream or the same shrill noise she had heard. Her breath caught as a whip-like stream of metal sliced between the trees behind them. She ducked and threw her arms over her head. The metal cut through the leg of one guymelef, toppling it and extinguishing the lantern at its chest.

The guards had began to yell — some screamed in fear as they fled the area. Another set of thunderous footsteps shook the ground under them. The trees splintered as the form of something large refracted in the light of a newly lit green lantern. It was much larger than this guard’s guyemelfs.  Through the warped mass of refracted light, a familiar guymelef arm emerged, long curved blades at the ready for attack.

Haruno was staring as well, “Touga-sensei?

Hitomi was brought out of her paralyzed state. “I don’t care if you can’t breathe, or if your legs are broken — RUN!” she yelled and pushed him up quickly. Her mind racing, had they actually been close to Zaibach? They were only ones that used stealth cloaks. They had been those monsters that burned down Fanelia and chased her and Van across Gaea. 

They ran to another clearing, pushing through an ocean of tall frozen grass. Metallic sounds still screeched out from the invisible giant, but it was drowned out by the sound of the foreign guymelef as it was taken apart. 

Hitomi heard the whirl of gears screaming above her, and the familiar shape of that monstrous guymelef soared over them. “Get down!” 

She pushed Haruno to the ground and they hid among the toll grass as the guymelef dropped from the sky, landing wobbly on two feet. “Wow!” he whispered out. “Is that—?!” 

“Yes, now be quiet!” she urged. Her hands were shaking, and she found it hard to breathe. Zaibach would be much harder to escape, and the wastelands outside the country would sooner drive them to death. 

The machine stopped and let out a hiss of steam. The front panel creaked open and snapped up. They were too far away to see who was piloting, but Hitomi knew sure enough they were looking for them.

Hitomi stared, afraid that they could see her eyes in the dark, but too frightened to look away for even a second.

Haruno sat quietly, and Hitomi could hear his labored breathing. She wished he’d try to stay quiet, but said nothing.

After a few moments the person re-entered the guymelef, and the doors around the hatch closed up. It hissed back to life and started a stride away from them. 

Hitomi could finally breathe again. “I think they are gone for now. We can relax a little.” She wiped her face, finding her fingers damp with her tears. She thanked the dark night and the light bit of drizzle that helped hide her tears. 

Haruno laughed, coughing lightly. “Sorry, I’m probably not the best when it comes to this part of the adventure.”

She patted his back, “I’m sorry, I should have listened.” Hitomi had to respect the young man, his help so far kept them alive. “I think when I get back I’ll pick up some video games.” 

He laughed, “Sorry, I probably sound lame.” His attention flew to the melef as it took off to the sky again. “We should find a place to hide, before it comes back.” 

“I agree,” she whispered. 

“I thought that Zaibach lost the war, why are they still out and running around? Politically speaking, you’d think that with the fall of Dornkirk, their country would be seized and taken over.”

“They did. I’m not sure what political ideals Gaeans have, but something must have happened,” she pulled out her water bottle to take a drink but found it was still empty. “You need to remember I’ve not been here in twenty years.”  She shoved it back in her bag. 

“Right, sorry.” 

He turned away, and she smiled. “It’s fine. Lets just do our best to not get caught by them,” she pointed behind them. “Or them,” she pointed in the direction of the Zaibach guymelef that had taken off moments before. Hitomi stood and out of habit reached in her purse for her phone, then quickly remembered it was useless. She flipped her hand over to look at her wrist watch. “We need to find a place to sleep. Maybe if we move in the morning we won’t run into anymore problems.”

Haruno lead the way back to the forest, they’d be safe under the cover of trees. The town guard had long gone, the wreckage of the guymelef was seen laying on the ground. They steered away from the downed guymelefs, knowing by the morning the village guards would be back if the Zaibach guymelef was gone for good.

They found an alcove to hide in. The ground had dropped down suddenly and Hitomi had nearly fallen over the edge. Using his cellphone light, the discovered that the underneath of ground had been solid rock that had been carved out by erosion. It was mostly rock underneath, but it was covered and mostly dry. The most important thing was it was safe from tall guymelefs and nearly invisible from the direction of both pursuers. 

They ducked under the rock face and had to crawl to the very back to get situated.

Hitomi pulled her jacket closer around her body, shivering some as she pulled her knees in closer.

“Can I sit next to you?” Haruno asked.

“Yes, we have to stay warm,” Hitomi whispered. She couldn’t care less about what was appropriate at this point.

He sat down next to her, dropping his bag softly next to his legs. “Sensei?” he asked, offering his sweatshirt to her.

“You can call me Hitomi,” she finally said, and declined.

“Hitomi?” He smiled. “Why didn't you stay?” He unzipped and draped the sweatshirt over their legs. 

“I was young, I didn't want to plan my life around a culture I had no idea about. I missed my mother most of all. It’s ironic because I barely talk to her now and here I am, missing her.” She zippered her jacket and pulled her arms in through the sleeves and curled up into the side of Haruno’s arm

Haruno leaned against the rocks. “I was adopted, and I really didn't get along with my parents.” His arms tightened more around his body and he glanced to the side at her. “Well, I guess that’s a bit harsh; I got along, but I never felt like the conversations meant anything.” 

Hitomi glanced at him, trying to read his face for some hint of emotion.

“They were nice, but I always felt like I didn’t belong because of the adoption.” He groaned. “Sorry, I’m taking over the conversation.” 

“No, it’s ok.” Hitomi smiled. “You probably know everything about me thanks to those books, and I don’t know anything about you.” She wondered if she was sounding too affectionate towards him.

“I’m just a standard nerd. I take classes to avoid being labeled a NEET, but I never lost that feeling of being misplaced…” His voice trailed and he took off his glasses. “I just need to make sure these don't get messed up and I’ll be fine.” 

She laughed lightly, “I’m sure there are places we can get you some Gaean glasses.”

“Like Dryden!” His face brightened some, “That would be amazing.” 

Hitomi closed her eyes, “Tomorrow we can find out where we are, get some rest.” 

Haruno made a sound of affirmation. 

* * *

 

Hitomi floated along the sway of the ocean. Though she could not touch the bottom with her bare feet, she did not sink past her elbows. She bobbed across the vastness of the blue-black water that surrounded her. She couldn't find where she was going, or how far she’d have to go. 

The only lights she could see came from within her, and the stars that glittered across the ocean around her. But strangely, there were no stars overhead. Only empty blackness. 

The sound of crying — Yukari’s crying — made her spin around, the water sloshing at her waist. The sound echoed off of invisible black walls. 

_“Yukari?”_

The crying stopped. And Hitomi fell beneath the water. She struggled hard against the weight of her own body, her arms frantically grasping for the surface. She never really learned how to swim, and whatever boyancy that kept her afloat before had completely vanished. 

She struggled more, the pounding of her heart was all she could hear between her ears. It deafened her thoughts as it started to slow down. 

The light caught her eyes and she reached for it at her chest, but her fingers hit her shirt. There was no pendant as she hoped. Suddenly, the light was gone

* * *

 

Hitomi woke to the sound of splintering wood and a crash. Her heart leapt from her chest as she shook Haruno awake. She was nearly frozen stiff and sore, but an alarm ringing in her head urged her awake.

The Zaibach guymelef was much closer than before; its large size stood over them in the faint morning light. It blocked the only way out of the alcove, keeping them from leaving unnoticed.

Hitomi felt Haruno’s hand grab her arm as she backed up into the alcove. A blast of steam moved along the guymelef’s body, and its arm pointed right at them.

Hitomi’s heart could be heard through her ears. She was mortified she’d die before ever seeing  anyone; she was scared that she’d unwittingly brought Haruno to a place to die— a place he had loved as a story.

“What country do you hail from?” A garbled voice had spoke out to them through what sounded like a battery-run speaker.

Hitomi was too frightened to say; the guymelef though frightening, looked old. It was a rusted blue color that had faded to a purple in some spots. 

“I repeat, what country do you hail from?” they asked again.

“I…” Hitomi felt a swell of fear in her throat and she quickly swallowed it. “We are from the east,” she claimed. 

“What country do you call your home?” 

“Fanelia!” Haruno blurted. 

Hitomi cursed and shushed him. 

“Is that so?” the pilot chuckled, “I’ll be taking you with me then.” 

Hitomi tried to scramble away, but the guymelef reached out with its other arm. There was no matching barrel there, just a strange custom appendage. It wasn’t what she remembered. The hand closed around her and Haruno just enough to keep them secure. “Let us go!” Hitomi yelled. 

“You’re escaping Daedelus. Apparently they really wanted to keep you last night. But now since you’re on Asturian soil, you’re my captives.” the pilot said, in a bemused tone that irritated Hitomi.

She realized though a second later that the pilot said _Asturian_. “Wait, we’re in Asturia then?” she asked. “I need to speak with Allen Schezar!” 

“Huh?” the pilot stopped. 

“And why does Asturia have a Zaibach guymelef?” Haruno asked.

“Huh?” again the pilot asked. 

“Shh.” Hitomi glared at Haruno. “Listen, I’m… friends with Allen Schezar.” 

The guymelef lifted them closer to the head of the unit, “You don’t look familiar…

“It’s been a while,” Hitomi said, struggling against the guymelef’s grip. “A long while.”

The head of the latch opened up and the arm moved away some so the rest of the chest could slide open. 

Someone stepped out onto the front cavity of the guymelef’s chest, and Hitomi stared up at the pilot. She tried to rouse any spark of familiarity in her memory. Tall, long blonde lashes, blue eyes? _Allen?_ Hitomi had examined the rest of the pilot from top to bottom, but the winter coat was hiding most defining features. The only indicator of hair was a few tufts of blonde coming out the sides of a hood. 

“You’re the girl from the mystic moon, aren’t you?” they asked. Without the garbled speaker, Hitomi could tell a bit better this person was feminine, though the voice alone carried a roughness to it. 

“I am,” Hitomi looked away sheepishly. “Who are you?” 

“It’s been a long time little girl,” reaching up, the pilot pulled back the hood and surely enough, it was a woman. She couldn’t tell how old she was, but her high cheekbones, the long lips and wavy medium length hair started to put together the puzzle pieces in Hitomi’s mind. 

Haruno remained quiet, watching the exchange, waiting for Hitomi to confirm if this was friend or foe.

“We really never got a chance to speak, or be formerly introduced. I think because my brother was afraid I’d kill you.”  she said in a low voice. She extended a gloved hand to Hitomi.  “I am Celena Schezar, Daughter of Encia, and Leon Schezar, sister to Allen Schezar.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Time: Celena explains what's been going on the last twenty years, as they head towards Palas.


	3. First Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Celena appears and offers to take them to Palas - To Allen. Haruno is having trouble keeping his mouth shut, and Hitomi is having a hard time keeping it together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Previously: The new landscape and winter prove to be a harsh adversary to Hitomi and Haruno

Hitomi sat quietly near the edge of the pond, picking lightly at the grass under her knees with disinterest. She let them go, and they floated away gently on the wind before landing on the ground only a foot away.

“Hitomi?” 

She looked up, and her heart leapt when she saw Allen. Only this time there was a little guilt, a little regret, and a little bit of happiness that filled her heart.

Allen still looked exhausted. The end of the war was only a few days ago, and he had enough going on that showed on his face. He smiled at her, and gave her a gentlemanly bow.

“Allen, I’m surprised to see you,” Hitomi said, looking up at him from her spot. 

“I am glad I caught you before Van took you back to Fanelia.” Allen gestured to the spot next to her and sat when she nodded. “Are you going to leave us, Hitomi?”

Hitomi had to. Her love for Van wasn’t mature enough to withstand becoming a full resident of Gaea. She was young. She missed her mother and the rest of her family. She missed Yukari and Amano. 

“I am,” she said finally. 

“Even at the expense of losing Van?” Allen asked. 

Hitomi felt a well of pain in her heart. “Van will be fine, I love him… but I don’t think I’m prepared to start the rest of my life just yet.” She started to laugh. “I’m kidding but knowing my luck I’ll be dragged back here before the year is out.” 

“What do you mean by that, Hitomi?” he asked. 

“I’m not ready for the next big step. Van will probably find someone less headstrong and be perfectly happy.” She wrapped her arms around her knees. “I think if I leave, you two will be able to focus better.”

Allen laughed off the bit of his embarrassment. 

Hitomi laughed with him. 

“Hitomi, this is going to be an odd request,” he said suddenly. 

Hitomi’s mind burned with assumptions. Was Allen was still in love with her? Did he think she’d be able to leave?

“Can you do a reading, for my sister?”

Hitomi’s mind went to the young woman she had only seen for a brief moment. Allen had requested for another ship to create some necessary distance on their way home with the rest of the convoy. Celena had been tall with curly hair and skin pale like moonlight. Then the image of her disappeared. 

“I can’t, Allen.” Hitomi shook her head. “Not anymore. I don’t want to bring forth a future of hardships or unbalanced happiness for you and Celena.” 

“I understand,” he said. “Forgive me for asking, I… don’t know how I’m going to raise a young woman.” 

“Celena and I are the same age, you know?” Hitomi asked with a smile. 

Allen laughed, his face flushing with the realization. “I’m glad you remembered.”

“Allen, I hate to bring this up but…” 

Allen nodded. “I know, she was Dilandau, but now she’s not. I can’t fathom her being triggered into reverting back. I have no idea where Dilandau ends and Celena begins. I barely knew Dilandau aside from the rumors and tales.” 

Hitomi looked out over the water. “I know the medicines back home wear off after a while. Maybe after some time he’ll fade away, too.” 

“I don’t know, Hitomi.” 

She could see the worry Allen had plain on his face; the fatigue of battle had stripped him bare, and there was little left of this once proud knight.

Hitomi rested a hand on his. “Allen, even if Celena has that side of her, you being there and showing her love and support is all she needs 

* * *

 

Confusion.

It had been written all over Hitomi’s face. She was quietly trying to bring forth any emotion other than fear. It had been true— she and Celena had never talked. She had never spoken a word to Dilandau, either. There had been curiosity and contempt when they had first met, his eyes boring down on her like Celena’s had now. Celena’s smile was the only difference. She was amused to see Hitomi there. 

Hitomi took her hand finally. Her gloves were thick, but Hitomi could feel the strong slender hand under it clasp hers tightly. 

Celena glanced between Hitomi and Haruno. “I heard you were gone for good, and yet… here you are.” 

“I am, and I don't know why.” Hitomi pulled her hand away from Celena’s. “And for whatever reason it brought him with me.” 

“And who is he? Your lover?” Celena asked, her arms crossing. 

Hitomi flushed, but it was Haruno who quickly spoke up in her place. 

“N-no, Touga sensei is really amazing and all but we’re not together.” He glanced at Hitomi and whispered. “Is she really…?” 

“Yes,” Hitomi whispered back.

“Holy cow…” Haruno lowered his voce. “You did her no justice.” 

Celena cleared her throat, “And you are?” 

“Haruno, Chiyaki Haruno,” he said. “You are amazing Celena-san.” 

“Celena-sama… Haruno,” Hitomi mumbled. 

Celena put up a hand. “I’m lost…” Her gloved fingers pressed against her temple and she sighed. “So you’re not Hitomi Kanzaki?” Celena’s bright blue eyes bore down on them both awaiting an answer.

Hitomi groaned and shushed Haruno. “Sorry, my last name was changed after marriage. Hitomi Touga is my proper name now.”

“And what is this ‘Holy Cow’?” Celena asked. 

“Expression,” Hitomi shifted some in her cramped position against the other. “Haruno is a student of mine, and he was brought here with me.”

“Interesting,” Celena chuckled. “Let me get you two back on your feet.” She turned and crawled back into the cockpit of the machine. When it hissed back to life the metal around them warmed and slowly lowered them down to the ground. 

Hitomi smoothed out her jacket and looked up at the towering guymelef. There was still a sense of unease seeing it even after twenty years. It wasn't the famed red guymelef Dilandau had been known for, and that only made it a little less intimidating.

Celena re-emerged from the cockpit and climbed down. She jumped when she reached the legs and landed in front of them, steadying herself.

“Is that the Alseides?” Haruno stared up at the machine. 

Celena smiled proudly. “No, this is the second class, Oreades.” Her eyes narrowed on him, impressed at his knowledge. 

Haruno beamed. “We only knew the first ones,” he said and wandered around to the foot.

Celena glanced at Hitomi. “Aren’t you quite the teacher?” On even ground, Celena towered over Hitomi just Allen had, even in flat-heeled boots.

Hitomi flushed. “Haruno, a moment please?” 

Grabbing his shoulder, she pulled him away from the guymelef, and lowered her voice. “No mention of the book. I’m sure no one wants to know they’ve become fictional characters on the Mystic Moon.” 

Haruno bit his lips together, then smiled. “Sorry, just excited. It’s gonna come out eventually right?” 

“Only if _you_ say something,” Hitomi hissed. She didn't know how she was going to explain if one of light novels fell in someone’s hands and certain illustrated images popped out. The embarrassment was already sinking in, and she knew Haruno wasn't going to keep his mouth shut long. 

“What about a book and fictional characters?” Celena asked.

Hitomi straightened up, “Nothing,” she lied. She waved her hands in front of her and gave a smile. “Just Mystic Moon stuff.” 

Celena sunk her hands into the pockets of her dark brown coat. “I’ll take you to Allen, if that’s what you wish?” She smirked, and Hitomi was sure she could see the afterimage of Celena’s past self. 

“We need to get to Fanelia.” Hitomi wrapped her arms around her waist. “I’m hoping my pendant will be able to send us home.” Though she wasn’t too sold on the idea. She’d even considered that Van brought them, but it didn’t explain why they were dropped in Daedalus.

“You’ll need Allen for that,” Celena said. “I can’t cross country lines without permission or escort.”

Hitomi wanted to curse, but smiled. “I’d appreciate any help, but I don’t want to put you out.” 

She watched Celena anxiously. She didn’t know what to say or how to form her face. She had wanted to limit the time and contact with others there, and Celena was the last person she expected to run into. She didn't know what the others told her about her part in everything. She didn't know what was left out as a sensitive topic, or what may instigate some kind of… Hitomi paused, unsure if Celena harbored that other side. The tyrant of war was once part of Celena, but she did offer to take her to Allen. Hitomi wanted to trust her until given a reason to otherwise. 

She glanced over the taller woman. Even wearing a dense coat, grey-brown pants and boots, Celena was beautiful, much to Hitomi’s envy. She was Allen’s sister, after all. Her hair was still short, falling in messy waves that frizzed out in places. Celena’s pale blonde lashes were thick, and her cheeks had the bit of freckling that crossed over her high cheekbones worthy of the Schezar genes. 

Celena’s blue eyes glanced towards her and Hitomi stiffened again.

“Yes?” Hitomi asked, turning her head away.

“Shall we go?” Celena asked, even the slight rasp in her voice seemed to add to her uniqueness. It made Hitomi’s ears burn to hear her speak. 

Hitomi nodded. “Haruno?” she called out.

* * *

 

Celena was able to get them situated safely in the hand of the guymelef as it walked them further into Asturia. It grew colder the more inland they were so Hitomi covered her face with her jacket collar. Her growing hunger only added to that misery. She’d tuck her head between her knees and chest to keep her watery, tired eyes from icing over. 

They stopped a couple hours later, and Hitomi knew they couldn’t be close enough. She’d seen a few maps back in the day, and Daedalus, or at least where she thought they had been dropped was a good distance from Palas. 

Celena slipped them to the ground and the rusted guymelef steamed off until it finally powered down.

“Let’s stop for now,” Celena’s face had been wet with sweat. The long distance of running and walking took a toll not only on the woman who piloted it, but the machine itself. Hitomi didn't dare to remember the state of the guymelefs when they stopped working. 

Hitomi took her place on the ground. “Hey, Haruno?” she asked as she looked up at him. She remembered he had a bag of snacks in that backpack of his. 

Haruno had been heading back towards the guymelef’s leg to look upon its backside beneath the cloak. He turned to her a second later to register her request and smiled. “Yes?” 

“I’m sorry to ask, but do you have that bag of chips still?” She didn’t have to provide any context as her stomach lurched with hunger the moment she stopped talking. 

Haruno’s shoulder dropped and slipped his arm out of the bag strap. “Oh! I do. After everything I nearly forgot eating existed.” He laughed sheepishly and sat across from her and began to pull out some things. 

“What is all this for?” Hitomi finally asked.

Haruno laughed sheepishly. “I like to keep my stuff around with me in case of sudden inspiration.” He grabbed the crinkly bag of barbecue shrimp chips and handed them to her. “But really? I’m kind of a wanderer at times.” 

Hitomi took the bag and opened it, and her hunger increased dramatically by the smell of fish and barbecue. “Even a printer?” she asked and nodded towards the USB printer.

“Sometimes its hard to stare at a screen or a place and figure out guide lines, so I print off pictures so I can get a better grasp at perspective.” 

Hitomi ended her questions there, grilling him while she took his food was bad manners. Especially given that she’d dragged him across time and space, and nearly got him killed already. 

He took some when she offered. “I’m gonna miss fast food,” he said, “and coffee.”

“I missed real toilets, and tv,” Hitomi reflected. “Coffee does sound good right now.” 

Halfway through the bag Hitomi glanced up at the other woman who was seemingly working inside of her guymelef. “I wonder if she’s hungry?” she whispered. 

“Go ask! It’s not every day a Gaean gets to eat shrimp chips.” He held back a laugh and looked up at Celena. “She was out all last night and this morning looking for us. She’s probably just as hungry as we are.” 

Hitomi stood up, legs sore and cold and she strolled close to the leg of the guymelef. “C-Celena-sama? We have some snacks if you’re hungry?” 

Celena stopped and glanced down. “What is it?” she asked, obviously hesitant.

“They’re chips, well puffy chips.” Hitomi glanced in the bag. “They are kind of fishy tasting, but also a little spicy.” 

Celena stared blankly. Hitomi couldn’t tell if Celena’s hesitation was from the strange description, or the look of the foreign metallic bag.

“They’re good,” Hitomi added. 

“We’ll see,” she said and began to climb down. 

Hitomi stiffened as Celena dropped down close to her. The other woman slid her glove off and when presented with the opening, she reached inside to grab a single chip. 

Celena made a face at the scent. “Smells like Allen on a bad day.” 

Hitomi couldn’t help but stifle a laugh. 

Celena smiled and popped the chip in her mouth. 

“First it kinda dissolves, but chew it up before it becomes mushy,” Hitomi instructed. 

Celena did as told; and after making a series of faces, she finally swallowed. “Not terrible.” She glanced at the bag, deciding whether or not to take another. “I’ll pass on any more. It’s still a ways to Palas. Allen better have a feast made for us.” 

Hitomi nodded and came back to Haruno who grabbed a few more chips from the bag as she sat. She glanced back at Celena and wonder how things were going. How did the world treat her? Apparently well, given the guymelef. She wondered what Allen was doing, or if Millerna was ruling Asturia now. Who had died in the last twenty years? Her mind traveled back to Van, and the deep void of insecurity bloomed in her stomach. 

“Celena-sama?” 

Celena stopped her work. “Yes?” she asked over her shoulder. 

“H-how is everyone?” Hitomi needed to know before she was caught off guard. 

Celena turned and sat on the edge of the cockpit. “Well, Allen isn’t a Knight of Caeli. He was transferred to the Asturian navy for a few years before retiring to be a fisherman.” 

“Didn’t expect that.” Somehow, though, Hitomi could easily picture Allen on the bow of some ship, hair flowing in the wind. 

Celena chuckled, “He loves it— keeps him out of trouble.” She stretched and cracked her back. “Lady Millerna ran off to Egazardia with Lord Dryden, Lady Eries rules Asturia, and Moleman passed away. Did you know him?” 

Hitomi felt a sinking in her stomach, “Yes, how did he pass?” 

“Old age, it was only a couple years ago,” Celena said. “Allen made sure he got a good burial.” 

“Good.” Hitomi felt only a tiny bit better. 

Celena had been staring down at her for a moment when she spoke again. “Do you want to know about Lord Van?” she asked. 

Hitomi swallowed hard, and felt both pairs of eyes on her waiting for a reaction. “Yes,” she said. 

“He was married some time ago, maybe six years? I can’t remember how old his son is.” Celena  turned to fully face them. “It was a marriage between Fanelia and Cesario.”

Hitomi felt nauseous but nodded. “I’m happy for him.” She wasn’t sure if she was lying, or relieved for her own sake and his. Van had a family, a wife and a child or more. Her current inquiries were caught in her throat. She felt a hand on her back, and knew it belonged to Haruno. 

Hitomi’s eyes fell on Celena. For only a moment she was sure the other’s face shown bemusement. She hadn’t been sure, as the other was too far away to see clearly. Hitomi could almost see it in her eyes.

Celena’s face shifted into a warm smile. “Are you still willing to go there?” she asked. 

Hitomi nodded, “Yes.” She felt taunted by this woman, but she knew kindness may be unrealistic coming from Celena. 

Haruno’s hand had disappeared and Hitomi caught his movement at the corner of her eye. 

“Are we ready to go?” he asked, having piled all his things back into his backpack, and secured it back on his shoulders.

Hitomi inwardly thanked him for trying to dispel some of the tension growing between her and Celena. It was unthinkable that they would even grasp an understanding given the pasts between them. Celena knew Hitomi for who she was to her, and what Hitomi was responsible for. 

“Yes, are you ready, Hitomi?” Celena asked. 

Hitomi nodded and tried to muster up any of that teenage confidence. “Yes,” she said. 

“Very well, we go to Palas.” Celena said, with an almost cat-like smile.

* * *

 

The sun was setting over Palas’ ocean when descended down the hill leading to the front capital gates. It cast an orange glow over the buildings that remained the same after twenty years. Hitomi spent a short amount of time in Asturia’s capital before it was destroyed both times. Hitomi could only guess what was new, and what was familiar. Everything seemed so new and shiny. She felt a quake in her stomach. The closer she came to the city’s edge, the more unease she felt.

 Hitomi felt a sense of relief as they came within view of the open gates that welcomed them to Palas. Celena sat the pair down and moved the mechanical armor to the side and out of the way of other passerby. 

“Here we are,” Celena said as she opened the chassis to the old guymelef. “I have to have a courier bring this thing to the manor, or else I’ll probably find myself in jail again.”

“Wait, again?” Hitomi asked. 

Celena just smiled. “Follow, and don’t get lost.” 

Haruno kept glancing back at the guymelef. “Is no one going to steal it or try to destroy it?”

“They know who it belongs to,” Celena said over her shoulder. “They wouldn’t dare touch it.”

Hitomi saw the upcoming gates and the guards quickly snapped to attention at their arrival. She was even more closer to Allen now and yet that ache in her stomach didn’t fade but grow. 

“What’s wrong, Sensei?” she heard over her shoulder. 

Hitomi only shook her head.

“What are _you_ doing here?” asked one guard. He was taller than the other, his uniform was nearly spotless and he crossed his arms at Celena. 

“I’m escorting some travelers,” Celena gestured to them. 

Hitomi stiffened and tried to look less like she had come from the Mystic Moon. To her side Haruno kept behind her some, shuffling a bit to hide his backpack. 

The guard cocked his head to the side. “More?” 

Celena nodded.  “They’re headed to Fanelia though, so I don’t need to put them through Intake, right?” 

“Right, but you’re responsible for them.”

“Allen is, I’m just messenger and then I’m back to Castello.” Celena glanced back at them, then past them to where the guymelef rested. “My guymelef is back there, I need a haul and clearance. Bill it to Allen.” 

“Very well.” The guard sighed and opened the gate for them to pass.

A road stretched outside of the gate, and little by little stores and buildings started to grow around them. Hitomi had to grasp at Haruno’s bag to keep him moving lest Celena leave them behind. 

Celena stopped abruptly, and Hitomi stopped too late to avoid brushing into her.

She whispered a small sorry that went unnoticed. 

Celena turned on her heel to walk towards a carriage, and the man who stood against it. She just had to flash something on her jacket and he was gesturing for her to enter. 

“You two, come.” Celena waved them over, and left the door open as she relaxed in a less than cushiony bench seat. 

Haruno sat on the opposite side and pulled his bag to his lap to check it’s contents again. 

Hitomi took the seat next to him as Celena had slumped back some. Her long legs lifting to rest on the empty section next to her. _It’s only fair, she’s probably exhausted._

“Yes?” Celena asked. 

Hitomi realized she was staring and quickly shook her head. 

“Rest well,” Hitomi offered. 

* * *

 

The estate had barely changed in twenty years. A lovely coat of paint must have been re-applied recently or Hitomi needed to figure out what they used on Gaea to keep it this nice after so long. It was still shades of pale blue and white with brown trim like she remembered. The lush grass that surrounded it was kept up with only a few trees that offered shade. The cold wind made the scene more deceptive. The sun may have shone brightly, Hitomi still felt the chill of winter. 

But Hitomi enjoyed the warmth the sight brought her, but did not ease the tension she felt knowing soon she’d see Allen once again. She likened it to an incoming doom or sickness that she couldn’t stop. She’d felt it so many times before, and found it just as hard to stop herself from digging at her cuticles or combing through her already messy hair. She could only assume his feelings, and none of them positive. Allen could have grown to resent her for things she’d done, backing out of his proposal.  He could see her as an ill omen, or and unwelcome surprise.  

A quick glance at Haruno told Hitomi he was just as anxious, though she knew for different reasons. 

Celena may have been such a minor thought back twenty years before and in the story she’d written — but Allen was a constant source of romance for Aina in the story. The growing embarrassment overwhelmed her. Haruno knew all the gritty emotions she had for Allen. The fans Allen had back home out numbered Van’s with the first two books — something she didn’t expect. 

Haruno, on the other hand seemed to favor Folken. She imagined him to have been one of those gothic street-style teens that would frequent her line with posters of Folken or drawings of him with Naria and Eriya.

Her mind went to Folken. She had to visit his grave if possible. A grave — or even a monument had to be erected in Fanelia. 

The image of his fallen body erupted in her mind, and she felt her hand rest on her cheek. Folken’s fate had been the only one she’d been unable to change, and it haunted her the most. She’d seen so many deaths in visions, only to easily thwart them or forget them. Being a witness to it first hand was the first of many, many nightmares upon her return to earth. 

Haruno again was touching her shoulder again. The carriage had stopped and Celena already climbed out before them to offer the man a couple coins. 

“Sensei?” Haruno asked, again dragging her out of her overwhelmed mind.

Hitomi forced a smile seeing the oversized doors that still remained closed to them. 

“Oh, sorry, I was in my mind again,” she said softly. She climbed out, and felt the sting of pain in her feet from resting too long. She winced a couple steps before finally they were nearly numb again. She wished for a pair of padded running shoes over the canvas high tops.

“Come, Allen doesn’t seem to be home right now,” Celena scoffed, “just like him.” 

Celena pushed the doors open, “Hello?” she asked tentatively. 

Hitomi and Haruno stayed outside for a moment before Celena turned to gesture them in. Both quickly removed their shoes at the entrance, and received a peculiar look from Celena who watched. 

“It’s a Mystic Moon custom.” Haruno smiled and pointed to his shoes. “We don’t want to mess up these floors.”

“Just don’t slip and fall,” Celena said. 

Hitomi sighed, pursing her lips some. The manor was still overly large for one man.  The staircase still held a painting of the Schezar family from when Allen and Celena were still children. She traveled closer to the base of the stairs and looked upon it with interest. Hitomi couldn’t place the mother’s name, but if there was ever a shoe-in for a look-alike, Celena had that in the bag. Except, Hitomi noticed, she was blessed with the curly waves of her father’s side. 

“Wow… that is a big painting.” Hitomi heard Haruno next to her. 

“That’s the Schezar family, Allen and Celena, Leon and…” He stopped.

“Encia,” Celena answered. There was a bit of disregard for the topic in Celena’s tone, but she still eyed the painting with a softness that Hitomi never imagined to see. 

Hitomi looked into the eyes of Encia. She was beautiful, but it was her eyes that caught Hitomi off-guard. They made her feel uneasy, small, and in the presence of someone who needed to be regarded. Encia still had a softness about her pose, but the eyes contrasted beautifully and dominantly amongst her family.

The main doors opened and the bustling in of several men made Hitomi and Haruno jump a little. They carried in several boxes of cargo and set them inside before slipping back out the main doors.

“Celena? I’m not paying your cargo fees if you’re going to skip off to Palas whenever you… feel like it.” 

Hitomi had felt the cold leave her body as she remained solid in her spot. Her face hurt from trying not to smile too much. It was Allen’s voice, only a tiny bit deeper. 

Celena waltzed to the side, breaking the line of sight between them. “Oh, and here I’ve brought you company and you shame me before them?” 

Allen walked forward, ignoring his sister’s teasing. Hitomi watched at the corner of her eye, and strained to look around Celena. 

Allen had transformed from beautiful knight to regal sailor in the twenty years she’d been gone. His face held more lines, tanner now than he had been before. His hair still long, only now it was just a bit more unkempt, even being pulled back into a long pony tail. 

“Hitomi?” 

Celena sighed and gestured to Hitomi and Haruno.

Hitomi felt the urge to cry, her eyes fell down at his feet. She couldn’t bring herself to look up at his expression. Fear told her he’d be angry that she took this long to come back, or that he’d be disappointed in how little life she still had in her features. She tugged at her stringy, oily hair. She was a mess, wearing dirty clothes, and no shoes. 

“Hi… Allen,” she whispered. 

She saw his feet approach her and out of reflex she looked up to see him. She saw his features for only a moment— his ever-lovely smile framed by silvery-blonde whiskers —  before looking down again, eyes searching for something else to look at.

* * *

 

“How have you been Lady Hitomi?” he asked and kept his distance.

Small talk, because even after twenty years that’s the most common conversation starter. She nodded. 

“I’m good,” she lied. 

“It’s good to see you again, but you brought a companion?” he asked. 

Hitomi glanced back at Haruno — who looked more nervous than excited for once.

“Haruno Chiyaki, he’s a student of mine.” She just had to get through all the preliminary questions. 

“I see, and he’s from the Mystic Moon as well?” 

Hitomi nodded again, her vision reaching finally up to his nose. Still there, still nearly perfect. 

“We should speak at length in my study, Hitomi.” Allen suggested, his hand reaching in her direction.

Hitomi again relied on a quick nod of her head at his gesture.

Allen had taken a few steps away from her, and Hitomi could feel the tightness in her body release itself. 

“Celena, could you see about having rooms prepared for Hitomi and her student?” Allen turned to Haruno and offered a small bow. “I am sorry to take Hitomi away for the moment, but please make yourself at home.”

“Togua-sensei?” Haruno straightened up. 

Hitomi gave him a smile and a nod. 

“I will be back soon,” she assured. 

* * *

 

Allen opened the door to his study and gestured for Hitomi to enter, then followed in after her.

Hitomi stood silently despite the comfortable chairs in front of her. She knew that any minute that Allen’s warm facade would crumble. 

“Hitomi, please relax, and take a seat. You must be exhausted.” Allen gently rested his hands on her shoulders. He lead her to the chair and guided her to sit. 

“I don’t mean to be cold, but what are you doing here?” Allen got right to it. His face had lost only a fraction of that warmth, and replaced it with concern. 

"I don't know," Hitomi whispered and wiped her fingertips across her cheek. "I… my student, Haruno, he…" Hitomi had to explain it in a way Allen would understand. "He fell, and in the way of a train, which would have killed him. I was trying to save him but when we woke up we were here.”

Hitomi was finally able to make eye contact with Allen.  “I didn’t want to come back here. Not like this. Not after this long,” she confessed.

Allen was shocked, and Hitomi could see the slight confusion still there in his furrowed brow and sunken shoulders. 

“I’m sorry you feel this way,” Allen said. “I missed you but I understand your feelings. I can’t say that i’m not delighted to see you again.” 

Hitomi felt that bit of heat again, but shook herself from it. “Allen…”

“Togua?” Allen asked. “Your student called you by that name.” 

Hitomi swallowed. “Yes, I was married for some time.” 

She watched his face; but Allen remained quiet but interested, silently urging her to explain.

"I…"  She had to regain her composure, as the mention brought back every second that led up to the accident, and every painful moment that followed her waking. “We were involved in an accident, and he…” She felt a throb of pain in her arm. 

“I’m sorry for your suffering, Hitomi.” Allen had pushed himself from his desk edge to come to her.

Hitomi only nodded, and immediately she started to rotate the ring on her finger. “I’m sorry, I’m exhausted, and it’s been a long day and I’m starving and…” She stopped to sniffle and rub the wet from her eyes. 

Allen reached down to gently move the hair from her face. "We will have a dinner made for you and your companion and you can have a warm bath and any bed you want."

“I… don’t want to overstay… I need to get to Fanelia and see if the pendant will send us back.” Hitomi took a breath to regain her composure. 

Allen smiled. “I think I’d like to take a trip to Fanelia.  We will send word ahead and leave after you’ve gotten your strength back.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Time: In her exhaustion, Hitomi barely makes it through dinner. Haruno takes every precaution to make sure Hitomi is safe. Is everything as it seems?

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed the first chapter! Thank you for reading and as always, I appreciate any and all feedback! I hope to get more done soon!


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